I came across this site today, but I particularly wanted to point out a post that shows step by step how to make your own toy bags – at a very low price.  Here’s the direct link to the post:  http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/12/clear-toy-storage-bags-with-drawstring-closure.html

While you’re there, take a look around. This is a great website, and definitely worth spending some time on.

Image via Wikipedia

It seems like I’m jumping the gun, but believe me, Christmas is just around the corner.

Bath Bombs are a great Christmas gift, but they are incredibly expensive.  I’ve seen them sold for as high as AUD$20.  That’s an awful lot of money for just one bath bomb.

Yes, you can buy kits, which include all the ingredients – for just a small handful of bath bombs – but they are priced from $25 right up to around $70.  That’s a lot of money in anyone’s terms. (And that doesn’t include postage!)

So I checked around, did some research, and I located an ebook on how to make your own bath bomb.  At the time of writing, it was priced under $15.  Be clear that this is an ebook only, no ingredients included, BUT can you imagine how much of the raw products you can buy for the same price as those kits I mentioned above?

I can assure you, the bath bomb ingredients you would end up with would last you for many years. (At one point – many years ago – I made all my own soaps, perfumes, spritzers, and moisturizers. The raw ingredients are not that expensive.)

Okay, so here is the link for the ebook I mentioned.  Don’t leave it too long as the page says they are limiting the number of sales to 250.  When you consider how many people are on the internet, that’s not a big number.

Don’t know what bath bombs are? They are generally made in circle shapes, and when you put them in the bath they fizz up.  It’s almost like having a bath in champagne.  My grandchildren love them, but they are soooo expensive. Making your own bath bombs cuts down the price immensely.

Go there now, before it’s too late!

Image via Wikipedia

A few months ago we (hubby and I) were approached to buy a set of Laundry balls.  These were to totally replace our laundry detergent.

To be honest, I was extremely skeptical, and berated hubby when he paid to buy them.  What we purchased consisted of laundry balls (which replace the detergent), and balls for the dryer.  Up until that point we were spending at least $30 per month on detergents and softener.

We have six people living in our house, so this is probably a conservative estimate.

I was extremely skeptical that these items would clean the clothes sufficiently, but I’m happy to report they work wonderfully.  (I wasn’t prepared to post here until I’d tried them for myself.)

You can see what I’m talking about here. (See the image shown in this post for an example of a laundry ball.)  This is basically a starter pack, which consists of Eco Laundry Balls (plus 2 free dryer balls)

There are a variety of laundry and dryer balls available, so look around and find what suits you and your family best.

If you read my last post, you learned that I no longer go to pancake stores to eat in.  The cost has become incredibly restrictive, and we can do just as well, if not better at home.

Same goes for meals.

We all want quick and easy these days, but most of us tend to think that using fast food restaurants (take away shops) are the only way to get meals quickly.  Not true.

There are loads of easy recipes these days, and a huge percentage of them are quick to prepare, as well as being economical and nutritious. With obesity being a major issue for all ages, we need to think more and more about what we put into our mouths.

I have been following Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution” shows for many months now, and the one thing that stands out for me is the fact everyone wants to save time.  Unfortunately we don’t always think about the health factors involved in giving our families fast foods, which in many cases have been aptly named junk foods.

Speaking of Jamie’s Food Revolution, I didn’t realize he’d put out a cookbook of the same name. What’s even better is it’s super cheap. (And I do love cheap!)

I’ve done a bit of research and in addition to Jamie’s cookbook above, I found there are loads of quick and easy recipes available, not only for your traditional meals, but for asian meals, as well as meals children can prepare. (Care for a night off from cooking?)

Cooking at home will not only save you money, it will save time, and may even help save the life of a family member.

Image by purpleairplane via Flickr

I love going to pancake parlors, simply because they make the most delicious pancakes.

The problem is, they’re expensive.  On average, it costs $60 plus for hubby and I to buy a pancake stack each, and a hot drink each. ($10 or more for a hot chocolate?  They’ve got to be kidding!)

Instead of dining out at these places, I now dine in.  I buy the bags of premium pancake mix, and instead of paying $60 plus for two people, I can feed my family of six for around $10 maximum.  Seriously.

If you like your pancakes with all the trimmings, try adding a few ‘embelishments’.  Some of the extras I usually have available for the family are: bananas, stewed apple, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries.  You can also top with cream or icecream, add some maple syrup, or even some topping (such as strawberry syrup).

Even adding all these added extras, you’ll come way out in front money-wise.  Trust me.  I’ll never go back to eating pancakes out.  It’s simply not worth the outlay.

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

My daughter told me about this, and I’m so glad she did.

If you like to give people photos – of family, kids, anything, then this is for you.

It comes in full-color, so don’t think you’re getting black and white. You simply upload your photographs, choose your layouts  and that’s about it. They make fantastic gifts, and in fact, my daughter and her hubby gave me and my hubby two of these at Christmas, both featuring our three gorgeous grandchildren.

The books do have a four page advertising layout in the middle, but as they say on their website, you can easily remove it if you don’t want it there!

http://www.hotprints.com

Are you sick and tired of sliced tomatoes going soft and gooey after you’ve cut them?  Yep, me too.

After a bit of trial and error, I found if I folded a piece of paper towel and placed it in the bottom of a sealed container with the tomato, it would stay firm for longer – at least a couple of days.

Sound too simple?  Yes, it does, but believe me, it works.

Image by vidalia_11 via Flickr

Budgeting is truly the turf of most mothers. Aside from the traditional role imposed on mothers as the one who budgets the family finances, mothers have the instincts and foresights on what might happen in the future.

But how do moms really stretch the budget? She doesn’t use complicated formulas or magic tricks but instead uses simple ingenuity and common sense. Peek in through moms’ budgeting secrets and learn. Role modeling is a good way to encourage attitude, especially towards money.

1.    She clearly knows where all the money goes. Usually it goes to child care, housing, health insurance, food and clothing. It is unlikely for her to cut cost on her children.

2.    She reviews all options given to her in terms of child care. Before she decides, she examines all aspects like safety, health and education.

3.    To understand more, she talks to local child-care specialists and works out schedules with her employer for bonding time with kids.

4.    For working moms, it is double the effort. They take care of the house and the children and at the same time work. She incorporates practical ways to accomplish both roles.

•    Wearing professional clothes than trendy ones.
•    Stays elegant through a combination of basic colors rather than the latest up-to-date fashions.
•    Dry cleaning costs a hefty amount, so, she dons on wash-and-wear clothes.
•   Buys evergreen accessories instead of expensive ones.
•    She engages in a lot of do-it-yourself habits like in cleaning spots and ironing wrinkles in her personal wardrobes.

5.    Moms always shop with a list in her hand to keep track of her budget and expenses. She makes sure she does not exceed. Also, she has no time for checking out tempting stuff at the shopping mall.